The opposition to Pompeo is indicative of the political divide in the United States. But, because he'll be the top diplomat, that vote could also send a signal to the world.

Trump administration officials and Republicans, though, have been dismissive of the idea that weak support for Pompeo sends a bad signal about American diplomacy.

"I think what it says to the world is what we've been saying for a long time, is the Senate has got some real problems and they need to figure out how to actually show up and do their job a little bit better," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday of the possibility Pompeo could have been voted against in committee.

ON TO THE NEXT ONE: With Pompeo now likely to win confirmation, attention will turn to President Trump's choice to replace Pompeo, Gina Haspel.

On Monday, 109 retired generals and admirals sent a letter to the Senate opposing Haspel's nomination. The letter was released by Human Rights First.

Signatories on the letter include former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Henry Hugh Shelton, former Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Charles Krulak and former U.S. Surgeon General Vice Adm. Richard Carmona.

"We do not accept efforts to excuse her actions relating to torture and other unlawful abuse of detainees by offering that she was 'just following orders,' or that shock from the 9/11 terrorist attacks should excuse illegal and unethical conduct," the retired officers wrote.

Background: Opponents of Haspel are focused on her role in so-called enhanced interrogation techniques and the destruction of videotapes of harsh interrogations at a black site prison in Thailand.

Opponents argue she strongly advocated for the choice to destroy the tapes, while supporters say she did nothing illegal at the time.

Late last week, the CIA declassified a memo that said Haspel "acted appropriately" in carrying out orders to destroy videotapes.

"I have concluded that she acted appropriately in her role as Mr. Rodriguez's chief of staff, including in her efforts to press for and facilitate a resolution of the matter, as well as in her drafting of the cable that authorized the destruction of the tapes," then-CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell wrote in the memo. "She drafted the cable on the direct orders of Mr. Rodriguez; she did not release that cable. It was not her decision to destroy the tapes; it was Mr. Rodriguez's."

MACRON ARRIVES: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in D.C. on Monday for the first official state visit of Trump's presidency.

A number of defense issues are on the agenda for Macron's three-day visit. In particular, Macron is trying to persuade Trump to stay in the Iran nuclear deal, as well as maintain a U.S. presence in Syria.

Ahead of the visit, Macron told Fox News that there is no alternative to the nuclear deal.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominees to be ambassador to Australia, deputy representative of the U.S. to the United Nations and U.S. representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency at 10 a.m. at Dirksen 419. https://bit.ly/2vGrTGu